The Search for Family
by Velvet D'Coolette
Summary: Pure SatAM. The Freedom Fighters finally have the means to search Robotnik's databases for information on their scattered families. The temptation to do so is overwhelming, but what - or who - will they find?
1. Chapter 1

**DISCLAIMER:** "Sonic the Hedgehog" and most other characters and situations in the following story are copyrighted trademarks of Sega Incorporated, Archie Comics and/or DIC Productions.  
Velvet D'Coolette fancharacter © User ID 1415026.

CHAPTER 1

Sally sat comfortably in the corner of the main room of Bunnie's hut, holding NICOLE. From the top of the hand-held device an attachment protruded, made by herself and Rotor. She was making the final few adjustments to NICOLE's programming to install the attachment's software properly. The attachment itself would be removable, but in the near future it could - hopefully - prove very informative for all of Knothole's freedom fighters.

As Sally completed this task, something else was going on in the kitchen, something more familial: Bunnie was teaching Tails how to make jam. Sally came out of her concentration to clear her head a little, and listened to the rabbit with a smile as she said, "...and then, we pour all o' this ol' sugar, into the fruit."

"That sure is a lot of sugar, Aunt Bunnie," Tails answered. Sally glanced over to see him staring at the - admittedly large - bowl of sugar Bunnie was hefting in her robotic hand.

"Well, that's jam for ya!" Bunnie laughed and up-ended the bowl over the saucepan, "and Ah just happen to know, you have a little ol' sweet tooth in there!" she poked lightly at his cheek, causing him to squirm at the ticklish touch and giggle.

xXx

Smoke and fog mingled in an unhealthy travesty of lovers embracing above the streets of Robotropolis, blocking much of the sun's light. Together they sucked the heat out of the air. They invaded the upper levels of the taller buildings, seeping across rooftops and galleries and leaving their unwelcome, poisonous dirt in their wake. They conspired together to darken and dirty and chill until anybody caught with them was obsessively, uncomfortably aware of their presence but utterly powerless to shoo them away.

Robotropolis was as dark and uninviting indoors as it was out. Where outside boasted grimy, unkempt pathways, inside the floors were kept clinically clean by workerbots, and even the joints between the floor sections were frequently sucked free of grime. Where outside most surfaces held a veneer of filth from burnt fuel, inside there was barely a speck of dust. Where outside the breeze, mild and interrupted by tall buildings, carried light detritus, inside the air was still and free of debris. Just as cold, though, and severe in its stillness.

Robotnik cared nothing for this. His attention was fixed on his most recent project: five new robots. They walked in single file at his command, ready for inspection. They came to a stop in front of him and faced the dictator. After a brief glance at them he pressed the intercom. "Snively," he growled, keeping the button held down and watching Snively flinch via the surveillance screen. "Report at once." The tiny flat figure immediately left his work and made for the command room.

Even the quietest rumble from Robotnik was enough to bring his nephew scurrying, and within a few seconds the little man had arrived. "Yes, sir?"

Snively noticed the robots at the same time as he spoke, lending his tone an uncertain edge. He blinked at the assembled bots and then looked at Robotnik querulously.

"Meet my new troupe," he said, indicating the robots with a single wave of his hand. "I'm calling them the Anti-Freedom Fighters."

Snively regarded them afresh. They were an impressive bunch to look at: gleaming cases and moulded contours well-described their bodies. Julian took pride in his creations, and it was obvious that much care had gone into their production. They hummed quietly, an efficient standby. They balanced well on their feet despite all being bipedal; they had been made well indeed. Snively grinned and returned his gaze. "Very good, Doctor Robotnik! But just what are they capable of?"

The dictator smiled malevolently and gave Snively more information.

xXx

They were on a mission. Sally ran alongside Sonic and Bunnie as the three of them made for the best access point to the Robotropolis computer system.

Robotnik had long ago developed a great, though subtle, influence over Acornian society by tapping into banking and other official data-storing systems. Births, deaths, travel arrangements, monetary movements and more were registered in his own databanks. Little happened in this country that Julian didn't know about.

As a result Sally and the rest of the population of Knothole stayed well away from banks and other establishments that required them to give personal details. It happened, however, that the majority of the Acornians - indeed, citizens from all countries on planet Mobius - were unaware that they were being spied upon. But neither Sally nor Rotor had worked out a way of informing such a large number of people without drawing attention to themselves and perhaps even betraying their location.

It was conceivable that Mobian apathy would prevent the greater population from changing the way they treated their personal information, anyway, it was impossible to tell without hindsight. So an informing operation was never planned.

The attachment Sally had fitted to NICOLE and that she now carried with her would interface with the mainframe. Using the attachment with Robotnik's databanks, they hoped to find details of their respective families and hopefully track down any possible living relatives. It was worth a shot.

"There should be an access point to the mainframe on the other side of that section of wall," Sally called to the others, pointing to a plain sheet of metal that comprised part of the building wall up ahead. They came to a stop by it.

"Take it, Bunnie," the princess said, and the rabbit approached the sheet. She knocked a dent into one corner and used it as a hand-hold to tear the entire plate away.

Now exposed, just as Sally had calculated, were the slightly dusty controls of an electronic interface.

"Okay Sal, do your stuff," Sonic said, slightly hushed as he glanced about for danger. "We'll be close." He walked out a little way, far enough to keep vigil. Bunnie walked a similar distance in another direction. Sally's back was covered.

The princess wasted no time. She located the interface, lined up the attachment and slotted it in. It fitted perfectly. "Yes!" she muttered. The fit had been secretly worrying her: Rotor had only been able to find an old, bent-up interface and had spent hours straightening the pins. "Nice work, Rotor," she whispered, perhaps more to reassure herself than anything else, for of course, he wasn't there. "Let's find your folks."

They'd decided between them that Rotor would be first to be investigated. Although he wouldn't have been the choice to come along on this particular expedition anyway, still he had requested not to come along. Knowing what Sally was searching for would just make him anxious, distracted. So he hadn't come along.

Among the computer's data were the roboticization records. Rotor's mother, it seemed, had been captured long ago and turned into a workerbot. _Rotor won't like this,_ Sally thought. Gritting her teeth at the news, Sally pressed on and learned where the robot was. The co-ordinates of its last position before it came to rest were easy to find.

The dump.

Sally briefly hoped that the robot was simply on standby rather than decommissioned. It was just possible.

That was the search for Rotor's mother complete. Taking a deep breath, the princess began the search for Skeeter, Rotor's younger brother.

She attempted to find his records at the present day. But, she discovered with a jolt, there _was_ no present day. The record ended several years back. She looked at the date of death that faced her blankly on the screen and closed her eyes. _Poor Rotor,_ Sally thought. _Poor Skeeter._ Then, heavy-hearted, she disengaged NICOLE and the attachment from the mainframe. The fate of Sherman, Rotor's father, was already known. There was no point in searching for him.

"Come on, guys," she called to Sonic and Bunnie. "We need to check out the junkyard."

"The junkyard?" Bunnie asked, and shared a glance with Sonic. "How come?"

Sally sighed as she led the way. "I'll explain on the way."

xXx

Sally led them to the place she'd been told by NICOLE via the mainframe's co-ordinates. Rotor's mother wouldn't be hard to find.

In fact there she was already, up ahead: a broad-bellied robot on squat legs, standing grubbily among the detritus of the city. Sonic signaled for Sally and Bunnie to stop walking and approached carefully, unwilling to have to engage with the robot should it come to life. Even workerbots were programmed to be dangerous.

"Hey," he half-said, half-called in an effort to get the robot's attention. It didn't move. He looked for something on the ground, picked up a chunk of motherboard and threw it close to the walrus robot's feet. Still it didn't move, although that kind of treatment usually _would_ prompt a robot to activate. This wasn't a good sign.

Sonic turned and looked uncertainly at Sally. She seemed to know what he was asking and nodded her consent, sadly. Then, as he turned again to look for another projectile, he briefly lowered his eyes to the floor before he focused on his target again and threw.

The clang of ringing metal she had anticipated, the hellish noise of thousands of flies she had not. Swarms of them erupted from Mrs. Walrus' casing, disturbed and angry. Sonic, the only one close enough to be caught in their path, backed away in disgust, shielding his face.

"_Oh, man_!" he growled. "Gross!"

"Such primitive language. You must learn to make better use of your linguistic faculties, hedgehog!" came Robotnik's smooth timbre behind them. The three of them whirled around, expecting to see the warlord towering over them...

What they actually saw made them pause. Robotnik wasn't there. Instead, three robots stood impassively. One looked like a metal version of Sonic. Its arms and legs were sleek and newly-made. Its feet were made of many complex parts, clearly designed for foot-sureness and perhaps also for speed, Sonic judged warily. A large, round head sported deathly eyes. Not red eyes like those of most of Robotnik's creations, but flush. This was a robot designed to sense its surroundings. Its sensors were evidently built into that head: a fine grille here, a black and shiny panel there.

Another of the robots resembled Sally, albeit Sally in an all-over, skin-tight metal suit. Skinny but inherently graceful, it stood with a poise even its model couldn't match. Like the Sonic robot, its head was a mass of sensory equipment. Its torso was segmented - no doubt the robot was flexible. Very slim fingers remained utterly still, but Sonic had little doubt they were strong, for they were intricate and clearly made for gripping.

The third robot looked like Bunnie. Up to the waist it was practically indistinguishable from his lapine companion, for its feet and legs looked dangerously heavy and strong. Ditto its arms - both of them. But where from the waist up Bunnie shone with good nature and life, this bot was humourless and forbidding. It stared impassively ahead. It had ears but they seemed to be only for decoration, Sonic decided.

The voice came from the Sonic one, and he guessed its head contained a microphone system.

"What's going on, Julian?" Sonic demanded, directing his question at the Sonic robot.

It didn't move, although the casual animation in the voice coming from it would have been well-suited to an easy swagger. "Meet your counterparts, my Anti-Freedom Fighters. They are my gifts to you: robotic sparring partners, if you will. I... _do_ hope you won't find them too tenacious."

Sonic scoffed. "No way, Buttnik, there's nothing as way past cool as the original!"

"Do you believe so?" Robotnik mused. And then the Sally and Bunnie robots attacked.

Both girls staggered back; Bunnie recovered first and entered into what began as a wrestle. The Bunnie robot nearly overpowered her but she managed to launch it backwards with some force and take a better stance. Their battle resumed and quickly resolved into a kickboxing fight. The robot had a speed she couldn't match, it seemed to anticipate her moves and counter them almost before she'd thought of them herself.

A few feet away, Sally was fighting her counterpart. It whirled and span, dodged and punched with great speed. Sally, like Bunnie, was having trouble keeping up. Although her robot didn't seem especially strong, it had made contact with her three or four times already and she had yet to manage to land a blow in return.

Sonic came to her aid first, judging that Bunnie was well capable enough of holding off her counterpart for a moment. But as soon as he sped to her side, the Sonic robot attacked him. It knocked the hedgehog clean off his feet, leaving him winded.

"We have to get outta this!" Bunnie cried out, still struggling with her robot.

Sonic stood up to engage with the Sonic robot again, and looked around for it. Then he paused in confusion. _Where is it?_ It was nowhere to be seen. He looked over to Sally and saw that she was casting around too, for her own robot. Bunnie looked equally baffled.

All three robots had disappeared. There was no trace of them.

"Okay, that's weird!" Sonic commented, squinting into the shadows suspiciously.

He quickly tried to review what had happened, to piece together the events and try to make them make sense. As far as he was aware none of them had managed to damage the robots at all. The bots' retreat simply didn't seem to fit. It made him uneasy.

Sally glanced around once more and seemed to give up. "Let's get out of here," she murmured with a resigned sigh.

"Uh huh," Sonic said, still suspicious. He looked behind the three of them as they retreated to the city walls, expecting to be ambushed at any moment.

There was no ambush and, to his surprise, they managed to get to the city gate with no trouble. But just as they were approaching the great archway, Robotnik's voice echoed down unseen from somewhere up above. Sonic looked up: the Sonic robot stood on a high ledge. It said one thing only:

"Expect a more sustained attack next time."

And then it walked away, out of sight.

TO BE CONTINUED...

**A/N: If you're enjoying this story, you might want to check out my original fiction at FictionPress. Username Palantean Writer.**


	2. Chapter 2

**DISCLAIMER:** "Sonic the Hedgehog" and most other characters and situations in the following story are copyrighted trademarks of Sega Incorporated, Archie Comics and/or DIC Productions.  
Velvet D'Coolette fancharacter © User ID 1415026.

CHAPTER 2

When the three animals finally dragged their feet back into Knothole it was late. They carried heavy hearts, all three of them. Sally had explained to Bunnie and Sonic what she had discovered, and since then the three of them had been morose. The clouds that'd gathered overhead coupled with the damp grey atmosphere suited their moods uncannily: the sky was cold and bleak. As the communal area came into view - and with it Rotor and Antoine - Sonic steeled himself. Rotor wasn't going to like this.

The two animals' eyes shone out of the growing darkness and Sonic shared a glance with Sally, the dread weighing his stomach down. The princess didn't look any more relaxed; this was going to be tough for all of them.

They got within speaking distance. "Hi guys," Rotor said, his voice falling flat in the humid atmosphere despite the question his tone implied. Sonic hooked eyes with Rotor, who looked hopefully back for a second, and then shrank back a little as if he could _see_ the news. "What happened to you guys?" he asked quietly, apparently sensing the grimness Sonic felt and glancing at the marks from the fight they'd encountered.

"Let's all sit down first," Sally said quietly and everybody took seats. The walrus and coyote looked imploringly at her, silently asking the question again. She searched Rotor's eyes and wondered how he'd take the news. "I managed to trace your mother and your brother. I guess you already knew what had happened to your father."

Rotor sighed and looked at the table top. After a moment he nodded carefully. "I guess so. I guess I would have wanted..." he screwed up his face. "... ah, it's cool. What about Skeeter and mom?"

Sally shared a glance with Sonic before saying, "Skeeter died later on in the coup. I'm sorry, Rotor."

Rotor looked away again; Sonic thought the walrus was holding back tears. Still looking fixedly at the distant rainclouds the walrus asked, "What about mom?"

Sally took a steadying breath. "Roboticized."

He shot her a look. "She's in Robotropolis?" he asked, hope briefly surfacing.

"Yes... we found her," Sally covered her face, her emotion. She rubbed her eye before continuing, "but she wasn't maintained, Rotor. She was decommissioned a couple of years ago. If we'd found her back then, maybe we could have..." Sally stopped as she realised this wasn't going to make the walrus feel any better. "I'm sorry Rotor..."

The group fell quiet to let Rotor take in the sudden news. The walrus sniffed and wiped his eyes angrily, his body language suddenly restless. After a few seconds he got down from his seat and started off toward his home.

"Rote..." Sonic said, his tone unusually gentle. Rotor looked at his friend for a moment. It was clear from the look on his face that he wouldn't be in any state to talk. The group let him go.

Sonic looked to Sally, who was close to tears herself. The silence continued for a moment. The group seemed unable to find anything to say. Antoine sighed heavily and studied the clouds hopelessly, sympathetic pain evident on his face. Bunnie put one hand on Sally's and the princess wiped away the tears that were gathering in the corners of her eyes.

Eventually Sonic decided to speak. "I guess we should get some rest, Sal," he suggested. "We'll tell Rotor about the robots when he's ready." This prompted a brief, curious glance from Antoine, but he didn't seem to have the will to ask more, not just now.

"Yeah-huh," Bunnie answered; the others seemed content to let that speak for them. With nothing else needing to be said they parted company.

xXx

The night was as cold and damp as it had threatened to be; the atmospheric moisture seemed to be absorbed into everything.

She didn't sleep very much at all that night. Part of her was keen to blame the rain and the howling wind outside, but she knew it had more to do with sympathy for Rotor. She watched the dark grey outlines of her hut from her bed for what seemed to be an eternity.

At some point sleep claimed her. She wasn't sure, when she thought back later, just what time that was.

xXx

The following morning she went for a walk. They hadn't agreed to meet up any particular time yesterday evening so Bunnie decided simply to pass the communal area and the others' huts to see if anything was going on. She wasn't too surprised when she found Rotor doing much the same, studying the river as he went. She caught up with him.

He aknowledged her with a sad smile before turning away again to watch the flow of the river. Bunnie took his lead for a while, only deciding after several minutes to say, "Pretty tough bein' first to get the news."

She wasn't sure whether or not to expect him to reply, but reply he did. "Yeah. But I'm not gonna be the next." He picked up a stone and tossed it distractedly into the clear water where it sank.

"There was a little more to tell you and Antoine about that mission," she said gently, watching the ripples disappear into the watery swells and troughs of the river.

At first the walrus didn't react much, just afforded her a quick glance. But then he led them to the fallen log and sat, where she did the same. "Okay," he said heavily, "tell me what?"

xXx

They were already in Robotropolis again; there hadn't seemed to be much of a point in putting it off. Sonic stood watch as Sally did her stuff with the data bank. This time it was his turn.

Rotor had been a little quiet this morning when they'd all finally met up, but he'd seemed to be pretty much okay. Sonic thought his friend would be fine. Maybe they'd talk about it a little later.

Sally had been working for about thirty seconds and Sonic found himself wondering what she was reading right now. Good news or bad? He'd decided to volunteer himself next because he kind of already knew the deal with his parents. Although he'd never heard of and didn't remember his parents, he strongly suspected they were dead. If they weren't he'd have found them by now. So after Rotor's disappointment he figured that Sal should check his records. Everyone could cope with bad news they already knew, couldn't they?

Bunnie had come with them too and she stood a little way over, watching for danger like Sonic was. He was just wondering whether she'd volunteer to be next when he heard a sound.

A tattoo of metal on metal rang out somewhere above him. Bunnie heard it too; she was looking over his head, eyes wide and focussed on something. He took her expression to be a warning sign and trotted out of the way, toward Sally.

"Watch ou-" Bunnie called before something metallic landed right in front of him. It was the Sally robot. He tensed, ready to fight it, but it paid him no attention. Instead it cartwheeled toward the princess.

"Sal!" he shouted; she looked around in surprise. In one fluid movement the Sally robot flipped past the princess, grabbing her shoulder and slamming her deftly onto the ground. "I'm comin', Sal!" Sonic called and raced after the robot.

He caught up with the robot easily and rounded on it. Sally struggled to her feet and dusted herself down. "All right punk," Sonic growled, "can you speak for yourself or does _Ro-Buttnik_ have to-"

It ignored him entirely and lashed out at Sally again.

"Hey, didn't your mom tell you to listen when people talk?" he quipped, keeping pace with it. As it got closer to the princess he shoved it backwards. Without pausing it regained its balance and sprang toward Sally again using a series of complex maneuvers that made it hard to catch.

"Stop right there ya tin can!" Bunnie announced. Her arm appeared and suddenly locked on to the Sally robot's arm, surprising even Sonic with its speed. The rabbit contracted her arm again and dragged the Sally robot closer to her where she restrained it. "Want me to break it, Sugarhog?" she asked.

Sonic opened his mouth to answer but didn't get the chance. Bunnie grunted and landed on her belly as if hit from behind. Sonic whirled around and saw the new assailant: the Bunnie robot. Bunnie looked around at it and got back up - right before it kicked her to the ground again with one, heavy stomp. Sonic instinctively made for the fighting pair at first, then remembered the Sally robot and nipped back the other way.

He increased his speed in the short distance and shouldered it out of the way. "You nearly done, Sal?" he asked almost lightheartedly as he watched for the Sally bot's reaction.

"Almost, Sonic," she replied, deep in concentration. "Just keep the robots away and I'll be done in a minute."

"Consider it done!" Sonic replied, feeling confident - it was only a couple of robots, it'd be fine. He glanced at Bunnie who was busy keeping her robot at bay with a piece of metal pipe. The Sallybot was approaching the princess again as it tried to destroy her. "Watch out bot! Juice and jam time!"

Sonic never reached the Sallybot - something slammed into him, squashing him against a concrete wall and he fell down to ground level. Looking around for whatever it was, he saw the Sonicbot.

"_You_ again?" he grunted. He quickly looked for the Sallybot - which was approaching Sal again - and leapt into the air to catch up with it. He managed to get a grip on its arm before being bullied backwards again by the Sonicbot.

"Sonic! C'mon!" Sally called, still bent double from reattaching NICOLE to her boot. He sprinted toward her to pick her up only to find the Sonicbot belted into him again.

"Oh _man,_ what's up with this thing?" he exclaimed, talking to Sally but unwilling to take his eyes off the Sonicbot. It stood absolutely still, monitoring him two meters away.

"You done Sally-girl?" Bunnie called, running toward the pair. Sonic and Sally looked over to her; the Bunniebot wasn't far behind.

"C'mon Bunnie, we're outta here!" he picked up Sally in his arms and gave Bunnie room to grip his waist. He sprinted away - only to be knocked to the ground again by the Sonicbot. The girls screamed as Bunnie was squashed painfully against Sonic's back. Sonic landed on Sally.

"It hits you whenever you run!" Sally panted. Sonic felt a stab of realization as she said this. She was right!

"Oh yeah? Then we'll just have to take it easy. Let's go!"

The three animals began the run toward the gates of Robotropolis, Sonic keeping in step with the girls - a painfully-slow crawl as far as he was concerned. It seemed to work for the Sonicbot though, which just stood and watched them escape. The Sally and Bunniebots however, hounded them on the way. Keen to escape, Sonic and Bunnie helped each other fend the robots off; all three were relieved when they passed through Robotropolis' broad exit. This, it seemed, was where the robots' range ended and they gave up chasing their quarry to return back into the city.

xXx

Sally led Sonic and Bunnie into Knothole, her head full of their encounter with the three robots. There was a pattern there and within the pattern was their way of destroying them. There had to be. But for now the need to tell everybody the result of her research was more pressing.

As before, Antoine and Rotor had stayed behind. This time they'd agreed to meet in Rotor's workshop. So they headed that way.

Rotor had clearly been watching for them; he opened the door before they were close enough to knock. "Hey guys, come on in," he offered. He and Sonic looked at each other but Sonic was not the one with the news, yet. Sally was.

"Okay," she said, aware that she was deliberately being breezier than she had yesterday with Rotor's news. "Are you guys ready?"

Sonic took place next to Rotor and leaned on the worktop. "Yeah, might as well, Sal," he said plainly.

xXx

The news had been as everybody had suspected, not least Sonic. Nevertheless, it had been difficult coming out with the words: 'Sonic, your parents are dead'. But he'd taken it pretty well, Sally thought.

The others had allowed Sonic to do what he wanted after the news had been broken. He'd seemed aloof for a while afterwards and suggested that they break up for a couple of hours to eat and shower before talking about the robot problem. Everyone had been happy enough to go with this.

So as Sally and Sonic stood now gazing out of the window of his hut, she put a hand on his arm. _I'm here for you,_ the contact said.

He put a hand on hers. _I know you are,_ came the reply. They stayed like that for a while until finally Sonic cleared his throat. "Well, I guess we still got Uncle Chuck," he said.

TO BE CONTINUED...

**A/N: If you're enjoying this story, you might want to check out my original fiction at FictionPress. Username Palantean Writer.**


	3. Chapter 3

**DISCLAIMER:** "Sonic the Hedgehog" and most other characters and situations in the following story are copyrighted trademarks of Sega Incorporated, Archie Comics and/or DIC Productions.  
Velvet D'Coolette fancharacter © User ID 1415026.

CHAPTER 3

Antoine listened as Sally outlined Robotnik's latest scheme against them: a team of clone robots, no less. It was a puzzle for certain, and he was keen to hear what the princess thought about it all. He hadn't seen the robots yet so there was little he - or Rotor - could contribute to the conversation; it all hung on what Sally, Sonic and Bunnie had to say on the matter. Antoine wanted to be able to suggest something that would destroy them and make Sally realise his worth as a strategist, but to his chagrin there was nothing he could say yet. Nevertheless, he listened intently.

"You know," Sally mused, "I think the robots are programmed just to attack the fighters they resemble."

"Nuh-uh," Sonic said, shaking his head. "My robot attacked you guys, too. Remember? When we tried to leave it hit us."

"But are you _sure_, Sonic?" Sally asked. "I mean, you were very close to us when we escaped; couldn't it have been you it was going for? Technically, it could have been ignoring us and attacking you."

Sonic thought about this, then relented. "Yeah, I guess." After a brief silence he added, "So I guess that's why we didn't see Rote or Ant's robots."

Antoine and Rotor looked at each other. "Man, I wonder what ours look like?" Rotor muttered. Antoine nodded fearfully: the thought was a frightening one.

"I think you should come with us next time, Ant," Sonic told the coyote.

Antoine suddenly felt afraid. "Why, uh..." then he composed himself, aware that the princess was watching him and not wanting to look a coward. "Oui oui, of course. What will you wanting me to be doings?"

Sonic slapped a palm to his face. "Ant, it's 'What will you want me to do?'!"

Antoine felt annoyed at the correction. Sonic wasn't much good with language either! "Zat is what I said!" he bristled.

"Come on guys, break it up," Sally said tiredly and then turned to Sonic. "You want Antoine in there to lure out his robot, right?"

"Right on, Sal," Sonic said brightly, then gave Antoine a wry grin. "At least we can get the scaredy robot out of the way!"

"My robot will _not_ to be scaredings!" Antoine snapped. "It will be... brave, and cunnings, and, and-"

"Yeah okay, it could be dangerous," Sonic agreed lightly, then paused as if for dramatic effect and continued with another devious grin: "We might trip over it!"

Antoine was about to retort when Sally interrupted: "Guys, I said break it up! Sonic, Antoine's robot could be every bit as dangerous as the rest, okay? Let's just find out what it's capable of."

Sonic, apparently satisfied with his dig at Antoine, agreed with a nod.

xXx

All of this meant that it was a slightly different group who took the next trip to Robotropolis. Sally was there of course, as she was the one using NICOLE to do the research. Antoine was present mainly to coax his robot out of hiding and Sonic, so he could see these two 'bots, and if need be, fight.

That just left Rotor and Bunnie. Bunnie hadn't been against the idea of coming, but Sonic preferred to bring as few of his friends to the city as possible each time. The rabbit also confessed to being a little nervous about what Sally would uncover about her family. So she'd stayed at home. As for Rotor... they simply didn't want to bring out his robot quite yet. Not until they know what the Antoinebot would be like: one potentially lethal foe was enough at a time.

Sally already had NICOLE plugged into the interface and was accessing the files she'd need. Around her and with their backs to her the boys watched, and waited.

There was silence except for Sally tapping at NICOLE's keys. Antoine glanced over at Sonic. "'ow long was it taking for zese robots to be turning up?" the coyote asked as he nervously scanned the sky line and dark alleys.

"Not long," Sonic said, the humour he'd felt in Knothole gone. "A little longer than we've been here."

"Ah."

Sonic fell silent, which soon revealed Antoine's quiet whimpering. "Ah come on, Ant! The robots ain't even here yet!"

Antoine was just blustering a reply when something rushed past them. It was gone before they could see it.

"What was that?" Sonic blurted.

Even Antoine seemed to have stopped trembling and was casting around in shock, simple surprise wiping the fear away for the moment.

Whatever the thing was, it swept past again and lightly battered Antoine's shoulder. He jerked as it did so. The strike had been surprisingly light - not at all like the other robots' attacks. "Hey Sacre bleu, what waz-"

"Ant! You're bleeding!" Sonic said.

The coyote looked down at his arm and registered surprise as he saw, like Sonic saw, that his uniform had been ripped with surgical precision. It gaped, revealing sandy fur that had also opened a little to reveal a red, bloody cut. Sonic guessed that the cut had been made by a very sharp weapon for, as he watched, Antoine's expression changed from shock to belated pain; The coyote clamped a hand over the cut as it appeared to begin to hurt.

Sonic was already on guard for a second attack from the Antoinebot. He had a rough idea where it had gone: it had disappeared, unless he was mistaken, into a slot between a building wall and a ventilation unit up and to the left, but he wasn't sure. He watched the spot anyway, his ears perked and acutely alert for any sign of movement or sound at all. Absently he shuffled slightly away from Antoine so as not to be injured himself, if and when the second attack came. Friend or no friend there was no point in both of them sustaining injury.

A flash of silver and Antoine was struck again, this time on the cheek. This time Sonic was ready and reached out to grab the 'bot. For a moment he appraised it. It had the rough shape: a fairly short-coupled body made for durability if not that much for strength; flexible limbs, a large head. It even had an extra chassis approximating Antoine's uniform. But its arms and fingers were fitted with long, razor-sharp blades, and they were what the robot had used to cut Antoine with.

And they were what Sonic himself was holding onto right now.

Instinctively he gasped and let go, then recovered himself and clamped down on the Antoinebot's arm again. Simultaneously the 'bot pulled away in an effort to retreat and drew a cut along the palm of Sonic's hand. The hedgehog cried out and let go; Antoinebot disappeared speedily. He didn't see where it went.

"Sonic!" Antoine gasped as the hedgehog inspected his hand wound, still bewildered by what had just happened. He looked at the coyote and blinked. "What- what... what was zat?"

"That was your robot, Ant," he answered. Then he looked around, wondering where the other 'bots were.

He saw the answer at once: Sonicbot stood beneath a tattered awning, half in shadow. It stood and watched him, waiting for him to run. _Where's the Sallybot?_ he thought, coming around now from his surprise encounter with the Antoinebot.

"Okay, I'm done!" Sally called, already disengaging the attachment and NICOLE and Sonic found himself pleased that they could retreat now. Maybe they wouldn't need to deal with Sallybot at all?

But as the attachment was half-pulled out, Sallybot came out of nowhere, wrenching Sally away from the computer and making her twist the attachment in its interface. Sonic came forward, irately aware that if he came to help too fast Sonicbot would be upon him. He walked between Sally and Sallybot and tried to keep himself there, shoving the 'bot away whenever it came too close.

Antoine, still nursing a shallow cut to his cheek, received another blow from his nemesis; Sonic heard it despite not facing the coyote, but he turned briefly to see the damage. This time a long, diagonal cut was opened across one side of Antoine's chest. With a strangled cry the coyote pushed the Antoinebot away and it lost its footing, falling on its backside for a moment.

There was a screech and before either of the boys knew what was happening, Sally had landed on the Antoinebot and dealt it a stunning blow to its head. Circuitry whirred and crackled as something broke inside it. The robot tried to sit up, then went limp.

Sallybot attacked Sally and she grappled with it, cutting herself accidentally on Antoinebot's arm-blades. "Someone get NICOLE! Get the attachment!" she shrieked.

Sonic, keener to protect Sally than a piece of machinery, went to her aid instead. As far as he was concerned she as more important than any piece of machinery, even NICOLE.

Sonic quickly battered the Sallybot backwards. "Okay guys, we'd better juice," he said hurriedly. He helped Sally to her feet and looked around for Antoine. Antoine was just fastening his rucksack and joined the pair of them, his eyes wide and worried. "Come on!" Sonic urged, and the three of them ran at Sally and Antoine's pace toward the exit.

They were harried all the way by Sallybot and Antoinebot. Thankfully though, between them they took no more than a few bruises and the occasional shallow cut, and it was with their lives intact that they gratefully passed under the Robotropolis gateway.

Sally and Sonic just kept looking ahead and running, but Antoine cast a quick glance over his shoulder as they passed out of the danger zone. "Zut alors, what difficult fakes!"

Sonic gave him a wry look as they continued to run, but said nothing.

xXx

Bunnie watched the three of them limp into sight as they passed into Knothole. Heavy hearts she'd mostly expected, but...

She rushed to open her door. "Antoine!" she called, shocked by what she saw. He was in a terrible state! Bleeding from who knew how many wounds, he looked half-drained. _What on Mobius happened?_ she wondered. Then she had another thought and doubled back on herself. She needed to get back to the hut, back to Tails. She strode quickly over the threshold.

"Aunt Bunnie?" Tails asked, clearly curious as to why she'd left the hut so quickly, and in such distress. She got back to him before he reached the door and turned him around. She didn't want him to see Antoine in this state. He was just a young kid, he didn't deserve to see gore. "Is Sonic back?"

"Yes Honey," Bunnie said, forcing herself to sound calm. "Ah think we all need to talk so Ah'm gonna go out for a lil' while. Okay?" She stretched and glanced out the window to see whether Antoine was out of sight yet. He was: Sonic was just shepherding him and Sally into Rotor's hut.

xXx

Sally had just been thinking about whether she should knock on Bunnie's door in such a bedraggled state when the rabbit saved her the trouble by coming over to Rotor's hut herself. Rotor himself let her in and she offered him the briefest of greetings before craning her neck around to see Sally and Antoine. "What in tarnation happened?" she exclaimed.

Sally glanced at Antoine, who accepted a damp cloth from Sonic and began to dab at himself as the princess and the hedgehog answered. "We saw Antoine's robot," she began. "It attacked us."

"It's covered with blades," Sonic continued, then paused. "And it's fast."

Antoine stood with a grimace, and took off his uniform. He examined it, the bloodstains and the slashes and sighed. "Zis will need immediate washeeng," he announced. "Rotor. May I?" he asked the walrus and pointed toward the bathroom.

"Sure," Rotor replied. Antoine walked past him and out of sight.

"...then the Sally robot started attacking just as I pulled the attachment from the computer and I lost it and NICOLE," Sally concluded hopelessly. Why couldn't she have been a little less hasty? Then maybe she'd have managed to go back to the interface and pull the arrangement out properly later. She balled a fist and thumped her thigh with frustration. Well, they couldn't search for Antoine now; the attachment would be gone. Worse than that, Robotnik would now have NICOLE. Oh, this was too much to think about!

Bunnie took advantage of the lull in conversation to voice the question she'd been dying to ask. "So... Sally-girl?" she prompted quietly. The two females searched each other's eyes for a moment and Sally knew she'd have to tell the rabbit the news.

"I'm sorry Bunnie. Your whole family..." There didn't seem to be any good way of finishing that sentence and, as soon as Bunnie realised Sally wasn't pausing just to gather herself, the rabbit stood up and looked out of the window. Sally tried to gauge whether Bunnie wanted a cuddle or not.

"All in one go?" Bunnie asked, her back still to everybody else.

"Yes."

"Even mah brothers and sisters?"

"Yes."

"How?"

"During a raid in Mobotropolis soon after the main coup," Sally explained miserably. She was briefly aware of Antoine pausing during rinsing his uniform to eavesdrop on the conversation. "One of the buildings that were knocked down contained your family. All of them were registered dead within a week of the collapse by a medical team that visited the area." Bunnie had started slowly weeping and Sally got up to embrace her. "I'm so sorry, Bunnie."

Bunnie, unusually, was lost for words. She simply let herself be held by Sally and wept. Sally shed a few tears of her own in sympathy; the news was too awful to do anything else.

Sally let her mind wander as Bunnie slowly regained her composure. Not only had they brought bad news for Bunnie but they'd lost NICOLE, and their means of finding news on Antoine's family. So what were they going to do? Abandon the project, she supposed. But surely they couldn't-

There was an abrupt splash from the bathroom. "Ah, I _knew eet_!" Antoine's disembodied voice exclaimed and he hurriedly came into sight, drying his hands on a towel which he discarded offhandedly on Rotor's worktop. He reached down to his rucksack and rummaged around in it.

"What is it, Ant?" Sonic asked, his voice crestfallen and, for now, not sounding particularly interested. Sally shared a confused glance with the hedgehog and then looked at Antoine again.

He pulled something out of the bag. Something she recognised at once.

"Antoine, you got NICOLE!" Sally exclaimed with genuinely-felt relief. Bunnie sensed her wish to take the machine back and let go of her.

The news was better than that: the attachment was still locked in to NICOLE. The pins were bent again but not particularly badly. Rotor could put them right, Sally was sure of it!

"Antoine, you're a star!" Sally gushed, then checked herself. How did Bunnie feel about the change of focus? A look at the rabbit revealed Bunnie, wiping the tears from her eyes and looking with muted interest at the two interlocked machines. They caught each others' gazes and Bunnie offered her a watery, consenting grin.

Antoine looked pleased with himself. "Well!" he said, checking his nails. "Anyzing for my princess, of course!"

TO BE CONTINUED...

**A/N: If you're enjoying this story, you might want to check out my original fiction at FictionPress. Username Palantean Writer.**


	4. Chapter 4

**DISCLAIMER:** "Sonic the Hedgehog" and most other characters and situations in the following story are copyrighted trademarks of Sega Incorporated, Archie Comics and/or DIC Productions.  
Velvet D'Coolette fancharacter © User ID 1415026.

CHAPTER 4

The next few days were dedicated to planning their strategy against the remaining four Anti-Freedom Fighters and recuperating. Over these few days Antoine, Sonic and Sally allowed their wounds to heal. Although Antoine was by far the worst-cut, he healed more quickly than Sonic, who'd suffered a deep cut in the palm of his right hand and was struggling to close it on anything for the time being. Antoine's injuries had, at least, been on his shoulder where they would cause him less trouble.

Rotor had his work cut out straightening the attachment's pins again, but straighten them he did and he was soon able to present it to Sally in a serviceable condition.

Soon enough, Sonic decided he could use his hand regardless of its half-healed condition and neither Sally or Bunnie or Dr. Draftwood were able to convince him otherwise. A positive energy infused the group despite the difficulties they were soon to face, for if Antoine still had any family at all, all five of the Knothole Freedom Fighters would be keen to be a part of the discovery. They'd destroyed the Antoinebot and none of the others would be indestructible either!

xXx

The five of them stood just outside the gates to Robotropolis. This was it: the final stage of the campaign.

"Okay guys," Sonic said, looking around at them all. "You're all clear on what to do. Bunnie, Rotor - you go to the northern quarter and find a way to destroy your robots. Antoine, you and me are going with Sally. You know what to do," he concluded, summarizing their collective plan.

The group nodded and glanced through the gates.

"Okay," Sonic said and put his hand out toward the others. "Let's do it to it!"

xXx

Soon, Bunnie and Rotor found themselves in a semi-indoor area used for the final touches of SWATbot production. The ceiling was high and there were conveyor belts and gangways above them, enough to lend the room a tangled, hectic feel. This was to be the arena in which they'd fight their robots. Rotor looked around nervously, wondering what his 'bot would be like.

"D'yall think we should go straight up there?" Bunnie suggested, pointing up at the mess of gangways above them. "Ah reckon they cain't creep up on us if there's only two ways they can come from."

Rotor thought this was a good idea and nodded. "Good plan, Bunnie. Let's go."

xXx

Sally stood in front of the databank and flexed her fingers, ready to start working. She opened a selection of files, then began cross-referencing information on the D'Coolette clan. Behind her and facing away stood Antoine and Sonic, just waiting for Sallybot and Sonicbot to turn up. As ever she trusted the hedgehog, and something told her that Antoine would come up good today. Either way, there was nothing she could do now but put her trust in them both.

xXx

Once on a gangway Bunnie and Rotor felt safer. And they'd got up here just in time, too. The ground, so far below now, was made of metal flags and the sounds of two sets of footsteps began to ring out, slow and menacing.

"There they are!" Bunnie whispered sharply, pointing downwards. Rotor followed the line of her finger and spotted them.

Beside the formidable Bunniebot stood a walrus-shaped crushing machine. Bunnie had already told him that the Bunniebot was the same height as her, so from that he took scale. Although he himself was a little taller than Bunnie, the Rotorbot was bigger even than that. While not monstrous, the robot below him was certainly big enough to be dangerous. Its arms were heavier than his own and appeared to be its main weapon; if it weren't a robot, Rotor would have decided it was heavily-muscled.

Both of the 'bots tilted their heads as if scanning the area and locked on to their quarry.

xXx

Antoine's courage almost left him when the robots appeared. First to turn up was the Sonicbot which, as before, simply stood and stared disconcertingly at them all. Like a vulture, it waited patiently for its opportunity.

As if in deliberate contrast, a now-familiar metallic thrum announced Sallybot's approach. It landed spider-like on the ground and made straight for Sally, but Sonic was ready. With every muscle tensed in preparation he launched himself at the robot and caught its forearms. He forcefully turned it toward Antoine, who gasped and stepped instinctively away.

"Take it!" Sonic growled. Antoine came to his senses and rushed forward to help restrain the robot. Sonic, his hands freed up, rooted around on the ground for a chunk of brick and found one. Aiming it against the side of Sallybot's head, he struck it hard on the temple. One side of its body stopped working as its inner circuitry was damaged. The hedgehog struck it twice more and it went limp in Antoine's grip. There was a tense moment where Antoine didn't want to let it go for fear of the robot's possible recovery.

"Let it go Ant, it's dead," Sonic said with a dryness that made the coyote feel foolish.

_Of course,_ Antoine thought as he tried to let the robot drop to the ground with as much dignity as possible. _Robots do not recover. How stupid of moi._

"Okay," Sonic huffed and turned his attention to the skulking Sonicbot. "Now we need to get _that_ guy. Ready, Ant?"

xXx

Snively cowered even before Robotnik roared. The dictator had no restraint about voicing his frustration when the hedgehog won a victory against him and the Sonicbot's relaying to the observation screens of Sallybot's defeat angered him greatly.

Robotnik smashed his fists down on the armrests of his chair and left them there, bunched tightly as he stared at the screen.

Snively himself was as unsure as ever what to do or say: from this position they were powerless. The Anti-Freedom Fighters had been designed so as to be independently-functioning. They could not be controlled remotely in case Sonic and his damnable gang discovered a way of gaining control of them, so there was no possibility of making the Sonicbot attack now.

There was, in fact, one thing they could do, Snively thought then: send a team of SWATbots in that direction.

His thoughts clearly mirroring Snively's, Robotnik turned to Snively and growled, "Send a SWATbot team at once!"

The smaller man gulped down his terror - Robotnik was so volatile when he got like this! - and stammered, "Y-yes, sir."

xXx

Both Rotor and Bunnie were now on the gangways, trusting to the rickety metal paths suspended so high over a solid, unforgiving ground. They'd separated in the hope that if one of them found themselves in trouble the other would have a chance of being able to help.

Rotor felt his heart hammer in his chest as he fled from the Rotorbot. It was a heavy 'bot; the vibrations of its footfalls were strong on the floor of the gangway. Pausing for a moment he looked at the T junction he'd just come to and tried to work out the best way to go. _Left,_ he thought, and ran. Rotorbot got to the T junction within seconds and stomped after him. The walrus carried on planning his route forward.

"Y'all okay over there, Rotor?" called Bunnie from another gangway, not too far away. There was no apparent way of getting over to her that the walrus could see and that, for the moment, was a good thing. He answered her as he ran past and took pot luck on the right-hand option of another junction.

"Yeah, just tryin' to think of some way to get this guy off my back."

"Ah've got an idea."

"That'd be good."

Rotor looked back at the route he was taking and saw that Bunnie's plan - whatever it would turn out to be - couldn't come soon enough. He came to an abrupt halt and looked in horror at the dead end he was now in. He turned to look the way he'd come: Rotorbot was close. He looked forward again. There was another gangway a distance away. Could he climb over the rails and jump for it? It seemed unlikely - the other gangway looked like it might be too far, but he was going to be killed if he stayed here.

"Okay, just wait there," he said to the Rotorbot, fairly certain it wouldn't even understand him let alone fall for the ploy and stop advancing. He was right: it simply walked up to him with metallic hands extended. Rotor steeled himself and climbed over the handrail. He leaned out over empty space in an effort to get a little more distance between himself and the robot, then looked again at the other gangway. It _was_ too far, he was sure of it. But it couldn't be. It _couldn't_ be, not at a time like this! He prepared to leap.

"Sorry Ah took so long, Sugah!" came Bunnie's sunny voice and without warning he was gripped around the chest by her robotically-strengthened arms. The pair of them raced vertically downwards, leaving the Roborbot far behind as Bunnie de-telescoped her legs.

"Bunnie! Ha ha, you saved me!" he commented, elated at the unexpected reprieve.

"Uh huh," she said, clearly pleased with herself. Then she wobbled and he instinctively grabbed her arms so as not to fall. She looked down and announced, "Oh, mah stars!"

Rotor couldn't see down. "What is it?"

"It's mah darn robot!"

Rotor thought quickly. "Are we nearly down?"

"Just a minute, Sugah."

"No I mean, put me down here. On this gangway."

He felt Bunnie shrug. "Okay."

He grabbed the railings and looked down to see her continue speeding down the rest of the way to meet her nemesis. He wasn't very far up any more, although he was still too high to jump without hurting himself. He glanced up at the Rotorbot. It was coming his way but wouldn't be here any time soon.

Bunnie had just helped him so it was now up to him to help her. He looked around for some way he might use his height advantage against the Bunniebot.

TO BE CONTINUED...

**A/N: If you're enjoying this story, you might want to check out my original fiction at FictionPress. Username Palantean Writer.**


	5. Chapter 5

**DISCLAIMER:** "Sonic the Hedgehog" and most other characters and situations in the following story are copyrighted trademarks of Sega Incorporated, Archie Comics and/or DIC Productions.  
Velvet D'Coolette fancharacter © User ID 1415026.

CHAPTER 5

Sonic had only needed to sprint a very short distance to get the Sonicbot to attack him. After that he'd simply grabbed hold of its forearms before it could retreat to safety. The plan was easy enough and he executed it just fine, but his injured hand protested sharply as he fought to keep a hold on his rival.

"_Ow_! Geez" Sonic hissed through gritted teeth, wishing Antoine would just take hold of the robot already. Then a pair of sandy-coloured hands appeared out of nowhere and the pair of them were both wrestling the robot to the ground. But it was taking both of them - Antoine was not particularly strong and Sonic's grip was weakened by his injury. The Sonicbot struggled valiantly and, for a moment, it looked as if it were going to break free.

A rock came down on the Sonicbot's head and crushed it outright. It snapped, crackled and popped... and lay still.

Sonic and Antoine looked at each other in surprise as if to ask which of them had done the deed. Then as one they looked to Princess Sally, who stood next to the Sonicbot's prone head, dusting off her hands. "I'm done researching," she announced. Sonic found himself wondering whether the casual happiness in her voice was to do with successfully defeating the robot or... possible good news? A glance at Antoine confirmed that the coyote was thinking the same thing.

But she didn't tell them yet. They had more work to do. "Come on, we've got to find Bunnie and Rotor," she said and as one, the guys followed her toward the north quarter. As they sped off, the sound of SWATbot feet pounding on the ground began.

It seemed they'd finished up just in time.

xXx

Robotnik was beside himself with fury: this had not been how the plan was meant to go. All that painstaking programming, all that work and his puzzle, his _gift_ to the Freedom Fighters had been cracked. There were two robots left and he switched perspective from the wrecked white fuzz of the Sonicbot's transmission to the walrus robot.

Vaguely aware of his nephew cowering pitifully at his right hand, he calmed and grinned evilly: so Bunnie Rabbot and that walrus were still in peril. He watched from the perspective of the robot as it got closer, with painful slowness, to its mark.

He settled to watch the events unfold and steepled his fingers. What was the walrus doing, he wondered?

xXx

Rotor had worked up a sweat putting his plan into action, but the effort was paying off. With a grunt he finished pulling at the cheaply-produced gangway railings and hurriedly slotted the pieces he'd lined up on the gangway floor together. He looked at his handiwork and felt pleased: freed from their verticals and joined together they formed a strong metal pole which, he hoped, would make a good weapon against the Bunniebot.

He looked down for the two rabbits - one robotic, one half-organic - and strode over to position himself directly above them. Bunnie seemed to be tiring from the fight. Not so her sparring partner: the Bunniebot looked as fresh as when it had first strode in with Rotorbot at its side. Rotor crouched to be as close to his quarry as possible... and then swiped at it.

It tottered; it staggered. Bunnie glanced up at him and threw him a quick smile as she got her breath back. The robot righted itself and stanced again but then Rotor noticed something: it had started humming, loudly. It resumed the fight with Bunnie, but it appeared to have lost some of its ability to track her, and it struggled to keep up with the rabbit when she moved her position relative to it.

"Good work, Sugah!" Bunnie called, reassured by this turn of events.

"No prob-" he began joyously, then noticed a shadow fall over him and looked up. "...lem."

The Rotorbot had caught up with him.

xXx

Sally kept her head and legs tucked in close as Sonic carried her and Antoine to the factory outlet in the northern quarter. She was glad the Sonicbot was defeated. It meant that Sonic was finally free to sprint again - and maybe they'd need him to before this mission was out.

They arrived; Sonic skidded to a halt, then let both Sally and Antoine to the floor. The group looked around for their companions. They spotted them right away; both were visible further inside the factory. Bunnie and the Bunniebot fought fiercely. The Bunniebot was in a bad way, fighting but looking dazed, as if concussed. Rotor was clearly in trouble: a lumbering monster of a robot towered over him, reaching out with two powerful-looking arms and staring blankly at Rotor, its tusked face expressionless. It was obvious that Bunnie and Rotor needed their help. Now.

Immediately Sally sprinted to join Bunnie's fight against the Bunniebot. With the two of them fighting there wouldn't be much of a contest. Sonic, she knew, would organise a plan to rescue Rotor.

She made it to Bunnie's side and was briefly aware of Rotor's voice above her shouting "Sonic! Up here!", but she didn't look up at first, keen instead to focus on the immediate danger of the Bunniebot. Bunnie treated her nemesis to a punishing kick before backing off for Sally to take over while she got her breath back. "Any news, Sally-girl?" she panted.

"Very good news," Sally replied. "I haven't told the others yet, but..."

Sally didn't need to say any more. The two girls simply smiled at each other, then set back to work fighting the Bunniebot.

xXx

Sonic sped past the Rotorbot, taking Rotor with him as the walrus gripped his torso. They had a plan.

"Big robot, huh?" Rotor to Sonic called with false good nature as they came to the spot where he'd taken the railings apart.

"Yeah," Sonic agreed. He stopped, turned and considered the robot for a moment. The lumbering automaton crouched and beeped quietly as it sensed Rotor's position. It began waddling heavy toward the two friends. "Ready?" the hedgehog asked his friend as the Rotorbot neared them.

"Kind of," Rotor replied dubiously, eyeing his nemesis with trepidation.

Sonic sprinted back past the 'bot and stood behind it. Of course, it ignored him. Rotor backed off a couple of steps but held his ground as well as his juddering nerves would allow - and Sonic realised he _did_ look terrified. The guys didn't want it to walk past the barrier-less area, that would ruin the plan. In a fake impression of somebody bored by the situation, Rotor leaned against the last part of railing on his side of the gap and the Rotorbot began to lumber toward him.

"So..." Rotor said to the robot with forced easiness, "you ready to take a trip, big guy?"

Even if the robot had been able to decipher what he meant it wouldn't have got out of the way in time. Sonic buffeted it from behind and it lost its balance, clawing for a railing that wasn't there and toppling over the edge.

"Look out guys!" Rotor called over the edge. Below, Sally, Bunnie and Antoine looked up and scattered; the Rotorbot crashed to the ground, smashing far too badly ever to be able to pick itself up again.

The battle was won. No robots remained.

xXx

Snively felt the pain of that final defeat almost as much as that walrus robot would have, had it been able to feel pain. But lucky for the 'bot, it couldn't. The same couldn't be said for Snively, though, if Robotnik decided to release his fury against him.

The dictator was fuming, ranting incoherently, for the moment kept prisoner by his own fury.

Snively backed off, glanced at the screens that showed the factory output area for signs of the Freedom Fighters (they'd already gone. There was no chance of catching them now) and then back at his uncle - just in time to see a metallic hand reach out to him.

Robotnik caught him by the collar and lifted him clean off his feet. Snively gulped: once again, he was to be the brunt of Robotnik's frustration...

xXx

"I..." Antoine stared slack-jawed at Sally for a moment before he seemed to remember himself and regained a little composure. The coyote had always been emotionally reserved like this, Sally thought, smiling. But he was still obviously amazed by the news, and as delighted as she'd thought he'd be. "My sister? Velvet?"

Sally laughed, feeling lighter than she had done in some time. "Your sister! She's alive, Antoine!"

The coyote seemed lost for words. He put a hand to his head, shook it, and looked around at the others. They were all smiling, intensely pleased for him. Orphaned Antoine may have been, but news of a sibling was wonderful compared to the uniform confirmations of death they'd all heard before.

Now there was just one more thing to do: get in contact! And Sally had got the information on how to do that.

xXx

Two weeks later contact had been made and a time and place set for the encounter. Antoine was as nervous as he'd ever been.

His sister, older by five years.

Their short correspondence had been friendly but formal. How much could he read into that? What would she be like? Would they become fast friends or... no, the alternative was inconceivable. They'd get along: Antoine would make sure of it.

The time for speculation had seemed much longer than it actually was, but it was finally over. Antoine paced to and fro, afraid of what might transpire here. Sonic, apparently understanding the need for a personal, family-only reunion, remained a short distance away but was ready to come and take them to Knothole if she wanted.

Antoine was here: beneath Giant Rock, at dusk, on the fifth day of the month.

And as he turned he found, so was she. He found himself looking straight at a face so similar he could have been looking in a mirror. A face similar to his - but feminine. It had larger eyes and a more delicate snout, but the family look was there and he was momentarily fascinated. Sandy fur and a cream chest, a tail much longer than his - undocked and complete. Black boots, a trilby, blue fabric around the wrists.

And a tentatively friendly expression laced with the same worry he felt.

"Ma soeur," he whispered, took a tiny step toward her.

"Mon frere!" she choked and closed the gap between them. She wrapped slim arms around him and held him close, crying silently but hard against his shoulder and pressing his head against her collarbone in a fierce embrace. Laughing, weeping, the pair shook free the fear and the desolation and the worry that had characterised their lives since the coup. They were together and they would never be separated again!

At length they held each other at arms' length and appraised each other. "Comment avez-vous t ? J'ai t si inquit de vous!" he exclaimed.

"J'ai t ... oh, a ne fait rien maintenant. Nous sommes ensemble de nouveau!" she replied. "O irons-nous maintenant?"

"Mon ami nous emmnera la maison," Antoine said and turned to look for Sonic. Sonic, who'd been watching, came forward as if aware that he was now needed.

"Hey there," he said in English and stuck out a hand. "Great to meet ya!" Antoine rolled his eyes: he'd thought it was plain that Velvet could not understand English. Their correspondence had been in French - no English had been used.

"Hello," she replied in a clear English accent and took his hand, "Good to meet you, too!"

Antoine looked from one to the other. "You speak English?" he asked Velvet.

Velvet grinned at the revelation. "So do you," and laughed.

The pair seemed unsure what to say next, then caught each other looking uncertain and laughed freely.

"I think," Antoine said though his mirth, "that we should go home."

THE END.

**A/N: If you enjoyed this story, you might want to check out my original fiction at FictionPress. Username Palantean Writer.**


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